Safety device for hand fed power presses or like machines



March 22, 1932.

L. LE VASSEUR 1,850,404

SAFETY DEVICE FOR HAND POWER PRESSES OR LIKE MACHINES Filed Jan. 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

24 26 V a 32 a 34 r f L 26 22 1 1 A6 llW- 2 64 L- 90 l 93 Qcb p D 94 i4 /Z Laz q ZIVVENT'OI? 55 LEMQS'SBUR March 22, 1-932.

L. LE vAssEuR 1,850,404

SAFETY DEVICE FOR HAND FED POWER PRESSES OR LIKE MACHINES Filed Jan. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 ment, r V move operating arm to engage clutch Patented Mar. 22, 1932 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- LEE LE VASSEUR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS SAFETY DEVICE FOR. HAND FED POWER PRESSES OR LIKE MACHINES Application filed January 12, 1931. Serial No. 508,084.

My invention relates to improvements in Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the atsafety devices for hand fed power presses of tachment, secured to the frameand associated any of the various types used for punching, with the clutch operating lever, with a stamplngand forming operations and is parchanged position shown in dotted lines.

.ticularly designed to prevent injuries to the Fig. & is a sectional'view taken generally 5 hands of the operator whenever he may aton the lines 1-4- of Fig. 3 looking in the tempt to accidentally or unintentionally direction of the arrows, and move them under the press hammer where Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the lines they would otherwise be crushed or muti-' 55 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the lated. arrows.

An object of my invention is to provide an In the drawings I have shown a convenimproved device that is simple and reliable tional type of power driven punch press comfor the purpose specified, and which furtherprising the base 10, having a table portion more is particularly effective and efiicient in 12 upon which a stationary die holder 14 is that it involves a positive connection between positioned and an overhanging frame pores the hands of the operator and the clutch tion 1.6 within which a reciprocating hammer which governs the moving part of the press or die member 18 is mounted. The hammer whereby the clutch is disengaged, or, in a 18 may be attached to an eccentric 20 which starting position, not connected with the movis secured to the drive shaft 22 mounted in -ing part of the press, when the operator suitable bearings 24 and 26 in the upper part moves his hands under the press hammer. of base 10. Shaft 22 extends to the rear of A further object of my invention is to prothe punch press and carries a suitable driving vide an improved device of this type assogear 28 which is driven by 'a pinion (not ciated with the clutch operating lever of a shown) from a suitable motor or other source continuously driven power press, operable of continuous power. 7 by the movement of the operators hands into A fly wheel 30 is mounted on the pinion and out of the danger zone beneath the press shaft to provide centrifugal force to add to ha m r, the steady driving of gear 28. Gear 28 is A further object of my invention is to procovered to prevent injury to an operator by a vide an improved device attachable to the suitable guard 32 which encloses the teeth press hammer adopted to co-operate with the thereof and prevents normal access thereto. aforementioned means associated with the Guard 32 may be supported by suitable clutch whereby, after the hammer descends brackets 34: extending from the punch press the operators hands are held spaced away base. from the danger zone under the hammer. A clutch and throw out mechanism 36 is Still another object is to so design and conprovided between drive gear 28 and shaft 22 struct my improved safety applianceas to be and bya suitable arrangement is adapted to applicable to machines of this type as known be controlled by an operator to start and stop to the art and found on the market. the action of the hammer 18. For this pur- Other objects and advantages will be more pose a lever 38 is pivotally mounted upon a apparent from the following description refsuitable pivot pin 40 extending from the base erence being had to the accompanying draw- 10. The lever 38 may have a treadle portion ings in which; 42 at one end and a suitable weight 44: at its Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a power op opposite end- A clutch operating lever 46 erated punch press, is pivotally secured to its opposite end to an F ig; 2 is a perspective view of my imoperating arm 50 associated with the clutch proved attachment for the press hammer, throw out mechanism;

Fig. 2a is an enlarged fragmentary view In the normal operation of the'punch press partially in section of one end of said attachdownward pressure upon treadle 412 will gage-d thus-stopping :theoperation of; the.

. a",spacer' 74 having one end'secured to lowerwall' 58 and its'other endsecured tosh'aft" members between shaft 22 and drive gear 28 thus starting the operation of hammer 18. This will continue as long as treadle 42 is pressed downwardly and upon releasing of pressure upon treadle 42, through clutch operating lever 46, the clutch will be disen- Inachine;

In applying my approved safety a machine of this type I provide theclutch operating lever 46 with a laterally disposed rod 52 whichhincludesa.verti a ...p9r 0 M arranged inspaced parallel relation with the lever 46 for a purpose tobemoreclearlyides scribed hereinaftein Clutch operating lever '46 j'extends' through suitable openings 56. in upper and lower wallportions 58 of a; bracket 60 'fa'stened'to the base 10 in the position shown in'-Fig. 1. Bracket 60'may be fastened "bysuit'able bolts whichextend throughthe opening 62' in back wall 64 ofthe bracket. Bracket. 60 has -a lateral arm 64 which extends; parallel :withthe side of the punch. press and has a pair of guide openings 68' atitsouter end.

A movable' arm 7 O'Sis pivotally mounted between upper and. lower walls 58 of the bracketupon a suitable shaft 72. Suitable spacers 7 4 serve to position the arm medially between walls-58 ina horizontal plane. Arm

7 0 is provided with a circular disc portion 76 '2which contains a pair of concentrically disposedopenings 77and 7 8.". These openings inanormal position coincide with similar openings 7 8a and? 7 a in upper wa1'l58 and similar; opening 77 aand 78a in lower wall 58 .1Ators'ion spring 80 is positioned around 72. This spring normally tends to hold arm Oin the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 3

against, a suitable stop member 81'formed on the ,bracket 60. Arm is provided at its outer end with an aperture 82 through which ajsuitablecord 84 'is' passed and anchored at s'a'idjaperture by suitable means, one end of which cord "extends'through one of the openings68 in the end of arm 64 and the other end gof which extends through the other.open-' ing-68in .thee'nd of arm 64. These cords 84 are arrangedto ex'tendto, and be securelyfastenedfaround the wrists of the right and lefi lhandsflof the' operator, The cord is adapted 'to be ofja definite lengthso that wheiLthe 'handsaremoved to the area D abovefthe stationary die holder 14, arm 7 Of willberOtatedtOWard arm 64; The relation of lever 46 to, bracket 60 and associated parts willjnow bedescribed. The vertical portion; 54 oi the rod 52 is adapted whenever the treadle 42 is pressed downwardly to extend upwardly through the openings 77a and 7 7 when ianffoperjators hands are not inthe dangerzone Dend, when ar'mv74 is not rotated this is possible". However, if arm '70 device-t0 is rotated opening 77 will not be aligned with openings 7 7 a and as a result part 54 will move upwardly against the under part of openings 91. Member hasan arm 92 extending. to. a pointciahove bracket 60 where it has an enlarged bearing portion ,93 N in which a rod 94iis-mounted Rod94 di'recfly overlies openings 7 8'-'-and 78d=in braekets and arm 70, respectively; Rod 94 has'anad j usting meansin the-iform of a collar :95 se-- cured thereto by a suitable-thumb sc1-ew-='97 f above bearing -93; Ale'af spring-96 overlies the;;upper dl f od 94;}- Theoperatiom-of this 'furthersafety means is asfollows 7 When the operators hands are IGlTlOYBdd fromthe danger zone D and treadle 42 has been depressed "and r the clutch engaged hammer 18 will movei downwardly carrying with itg member -90 i and rod 94 Rod-. 94= which 4! directly: overlies openings' 78aand 37 8 will pass I throughithese openings and 1 effectively 4 prevent rotation of arm-JO thuspreventing:

the operator from moving hisarms inwardly to the danger zone DJ In this mannerw :it

can easily be seen that an effective means: is provided forpreventing-injury to the. hands of thevoperator after the punch pressi'is. ins

motion; With the.,.- previously deseribed means it-can readilybe seen that any attempt; to start 7 thOwOPBliitiOHOf -the: punch press while the operators hands are in danger is: effe'ctivel-y preventedx While -I'haveillustratedzandideecribed a;

specific embodiment of the inventionel ides sire .it to be-understoodfthatgimany :modifications and -=-changes= may abetmade vin zthe; specific details, thereof andI ;do:not iwishato.

be limited in any particular, rather ewhat; I a

desire to'proeure and protect by- Letters Pats; entof the-UnitedStates isa V M VVhatI claim-as'n'ew iss c v 1'. Ina device of the. character. described for a power operated "punch press provided; with a foot pedal, a clutchiand a connecting; rod therebetween a safetyoappliance scorn; prising; a bracket having 1 openings through which said connectingmrod passes; an -;ofise t vertical finger; X on- A said connecting rod,a:-.a-n; arm pivotally mounted in said bracket/hw ing openings through whichgsaid finger passes in a normal operation andmeans associatedwith saidiarm "and connected :tO/al]. operatorYs haI-ids for moving said openings :when

the operators hands -.are below,- ithe; puiwh hammer.- I 1 i f 2."A safetyde'vice for a power operated.

press comprising in combination with a vertically movable element of the press, of a pivotally mounted horizontally movable arm having an opening therein, means for normally holding said arm in a predetermined position, means carried by said element for movement through said opening during the normal operation of the press, and means connecting said arm with the hands of the operator to change the position of said arm and render the press inoperative, when either hand of the operator is moved within the danger zone of the press.

3. A safety device of a power operated press comprising in combination with a vertically movable clutch control lever, of a pivotally mounted horizontally movable arm having an opening therein, yieldable means for normally holding said arm in a predetermined position, means carried by said lever and movable through said opening during the normal operation of the press, and means connecting said arm with the hands of the operator, whereby the position of the lever is changed to render the press inoperative, when either hand of the operator is moved within the danger zone of the press.

4. A safety device for a power operated press comprising in combination with a vertically movable element of the press, of a pivotally mounted horizontally movable arm having an opening therein, a rod carried by said element and including an offset portion arranged in spaced parallel relation thereto, yieldable means for holding said arm normally positioned with its opening located to receive said ofiset portion of the rod in the normal operation of the press, and means for shifting said arm to change the position of said opening and thereby render the press inoperative.

5. A safety device for a power operated press comprising in combination with a vertically movable element of the press, of a pivotally mounted horizontally movable arm having an opening therein, a rod carried by said element and including an offset portion arranged in spaced parallel relation thereto, means for holding said arm normally positioned with its opening located to receive said offset portion of the rod in the normal operation of the press, and means connecting said arm with the hands of the operator to shift said arm and thereby change the position of said opening to render the press inoperative, when either hand of the operator is moved within the danger zone of the press.

6. A safety device for a power operated press comprising in combination with a vertically movable element of the press, of a bracket secured to the press and including spaced superimposed walls. having aligned openings, a horizontally movable arm pivoted between said walls and having an opening normally aligned with the openings of said walls, means carried by said element for movement through all of said openings during the normal operation of the press, and means for changing the position of said arm and its opening to render the press inoperative.

7. A safety device for a power operated press comprising in combination with a vertically movable element of the press, of a bracket secured to the press and including spaced superimposed walls having aligned openings, a horizontally movable arm pivoted between said walls and having an open ing normally aligned with the openings of said walls, means carried by said element for movement through all of said openings during the normal operation of the press, and means connecting said arm with the hands of the operator to change the position of said arm and thereby render the press inoperative, when either hand of the operator is moved within the danger zone of the press.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LEE LE VASSEUR. 

